‘Child predator’ accused of luring girl in bookstore

San Mateo police are asking for the public’s help in finding a “child predator” who exposed himself to a 10-year-old girl at a bookstore last month.

Police said the girl was with her family at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at 11 W. Hillsdale Blvd. when a man approached her in the children’s book section of the store.

The man led the victim to a more secluded area in another part of the store, where police said he exposed himself and had “inappropriate physical contact” with her.

Though the incident took place on June 23, the incident was not reported by the girl’s family for two weeks, said Sgt. Ryan Monaghan, a police spokesman. Monaghan could not comment on why the family delayed in making the report.

Monaghan said police have received “multiple tips,” but investigators have not identified a suspect. They’re hoping video taken of the suspect captured on the store’s surveillance cameras will help them make an arrest.

Police described the suspect as a male in his 50’s, white and about 6 feet tall.

He was wearing a fishing hat, sunglasses and tan cargo pants at the time of the incident. He was seen getting into a dirty black or gray four-door car parked in the parking lot of the store.